Plumber’s tape will be one of your best buddies if you’re working on a little plumbing project at home. Plumber’s tape, also known as Teflon tape, makes water-tight connections between pipes. As long as you wrap plumber’s tape over the threaded pipes to seal them appropriately, sealing pipes using plumber’s tape is a breeze.
Make sure you’re utilizing the white plumber’s tape for all types of plumbing applications. Plumber’s tape is simple to apply, but there are correct and wrong ways to do it. Make sure to have a roll of plumbing tape in your hand while fixing or sealing your pipes. You will surely be glad to know that this tape can work wonders during pipe fixation!
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Plumber’s Tape: An Overview
Plumber’s tape, often known as Teflon tape, is used to seal threaded pipe joints and keep them watertight. Wrapping a plumber’s tape around the pipe in the correct direction is the key to getting it to work properly.
The friction of the mating threads should tighten the tape around the pipe rather than unwind or ball up the tape when the pipe is turned into the fitting.
As a result, wrap the tape around the pipe clockwise in the same direction to turn the pipe into the fitting or sealing appropriately. It won’t unravel when you’re putting the joint together this way. The right application of plumber’s tape at threaded pipe junctions can help avoid future leaks.
The tape also functions as a lubricant, making it easier to thread the pipe on and reducing resistance if the junction needs to be disconnected.
Steps To Put On Plumbing Tape
Clean The Pipes
Before putting the plumbing tape on the pipe, make sure to clean the pipe thoroughly from all kinds of dust and dirt. This way, you can perform putting on the process a little bit more easily and efficiently.
Place Tape On The End Of Pipes
Hold the plumber’s tape in place with a finger or thumb on the second thread from the pipe’s end. The tape should be laid level over the threads and parallel to the pipe’s length. Male pipe fittings are the parts of a pipe that screw into a female pipe fitting.
Before screwing the male threads into the female threads, cover them with plumber’s tape. Plumber’s tape isn’t used for unthreaded joints, which should be sealed with a liquid sealant. Plumber tape is used to create a secure seal between threaded plumbing connections.
Start Wrapping
Wrap the tape around the pipe in the same direction you’ll be turning it. In your dominant hand, pick up your plumber’s tape roll and locate the roll’s end. Just enough of it should be peeled away so you can easily work with it between your fingers.
Wrap the tape clockwise around the threads by pressing the tape’s end onto them. In your non-dominant hand, pick up the threaded pipe fitting. Make sure the tape’s end is facing counterclockwise. To begin, press the tape’s end firmly against the threads.
Go For Tape Overlapping
Keep the tape taut so that it wraps around the pipe tightly. As you work away from the pipe’s end, overlap the tape. While putting a male pipe fitting into a female pipe fitting, wrapping the tape clockwise keeps it from unraveling. Wrap the pipe four to six-time and finish it near the ends of the pipes once you have done.
After you’ve wrapped the threads, you should be able to see them. It is not wrapped firmly enough if all you see is tape or if the threads are barely visible.
Pull Up The Remaining Tape To Break
To remove the roll from the tape on the pipe:
- Pull the tape taut.
- Pinch the tape and the pipe threads.
- Stretch and tear the tape by pulling it.
- Remove any extra tape from the threads and press it down tightly.
The male fitting can now be screwed into its female counterpart, forming a tight seal between the threads.
What Are The Other Uses Of Plumbing Tape?
As we discussed earlier, you cannot only use the plumbing tape to put on the pipes. But you can also use it to fix or seal the cracked or leaking water pipes. If you really want to seal a broken waterline pipe with a plumbing tape, follow the following steps:
- Close the gap between the water lines and the sinks using a plumber’s tape.
- Before connecting the water lines to a newly installed sink, wrap plumber’s tape around the male threads of all the fittings.
- Even when running high-pressure water from the faucet, plumbing tape will ensure a tight seal, preventing leaks.
- Plumber tape can also repair faulty water pipes and sink connections. Disconnect the water lines and turn off the water supply.
- Replace old plumbing tape with a new one wrapped tightly around the threads.
- Reconnect everything, turn on the water supply, and then turn on the faucet to see if it works.
Conclusion
Never use a plumber’s tape for a long-term leak repair. Simply patch them to contain the problem until the faulty pipes can be replaced for a long-term solution. Although a plumber’s tape is a vital tool, it cannot solve or prevent all plumbing issues. This is where the experts come in.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to appropriately fix or seal your cracked pipes using plumbing tape after reading this post. However, it would be best to consult with professionals in case of severe water leakage or damages rather than relying on plumbing tape.
